Data & Program Management Associate

This is a hybrid position which requires 8 days/month in the office. You can be based in our office in Colombia. Existing work authorization is required at the time of application submission as WRI is unable to sponsor any visa work sponsorship for this position.

About the Program:

The WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities (Cities Program) helps to transform cities into compact, connected and resilient spaces that provide healthy, accessible and prosperous living environments for their residents. We coordinate the Cities Program’s extensive technical and practical expertise through eight integrated solution areas; Integrated Transport Systems, Vision Zero, Zero Carbon Buildings, Livable Neighborhoods, E-Mobility, Water/Heat Resilience, Air Quality and Inclusive Climate & Energy Action Planning. Data and Urban Finance are cross-cutting themes that inform all of our solution offerings. We implement our solutions by working deeply with multiple stakeholders over long periods of time in large to demonstrate possibilities in rapidly transforming cities. We expand our impact to other cities by leveraging these demonstrated possibilities to convene multiple cross-sectoral stakeholders and partnering with city networks. Our research and projects in cities and in national policies connect environmental sustainability, health, safety, equity and quality of life.

Job Highlight:

Reporting to the Director Adjunto WRI Colombia, you will be part of the Cities Program and Project Management Team and will manage network-wide monitoring, data analysis and reporting on project and program performance. You will manage the technical aspects of our programs while effectively communicating and training non-technical staff. This position offers the opportunity to work with limited oversight, providing recommendations, pitching new approaches to systems and tools, and contributing to the strategic vision of our program monitoring work. You will design reports and online platforms to monitor and evaluate multiple aspects of our past, present, and future international work. You will implement routine processes to gather, clean, and manage project and program data. Using this data, you will author tools, and dashboards to communicate trends and insights to executive leadership and project managers for decision making. You will play a pivotal role in the development, maintenance, and improvement of systems, processes, and tools relevant to project/program monitoring and data management. You will build automated data pipelines to pull and clean routine data using Python and other relevant tools. In doing so, you will solve problems, conduct research, make recommendations, and sustain standards relevant to documentation and the data lifecycle by implementing industry and organizational best practices. You will also support the Cities Program and Project Management Office’s larger efforts to develop project management knowledge and capacity. You will promote best practices within the organization by supporting the development and diffusion of project and program management templates and guidance, and by providing direct support to technical teams and core functions. You will report directly to the Senior Manager of Program and Project Management in the Cities Program and will work with them on other strategic program and project management initiatives. If you are a strong communicator, adaptable, and passionate about translating strategic concepts into operational realities, we encourage you to apply.

What will you do:

System and Tool Design, Development, and Maintenance (40%):

• Propose, develop, and operationalize systems and processes to automate data extraction and integration from various tools for reproducible business analytics and visualizations
• Independently design and manage programmatic datasets and standard operational procedures using industry best practices
• Independently develop and manage automated data pipelines for data extraction, cleaning, analysis, and visualization using Python and/or R
• Prepare and implement best practices for documenting and sharing code, analysis methodology, and standard operating procedures

Business Analytics and Insights (30%): -

• Coordinate with global teams to gather and analyze project management data, propose novel data analytics and insights, and communicate findings to internal audiences
• Independently develop and manage tailored tools, reports, and visualization dashboards to track and assess program progress, financials, and impact
• Propose, guide and implement ideas for data analytics processes and tools improvement

Program and Project Management Support to project teams (20%) :-

• Develop and propose programmatic processes improvement, pertaining to data and program management
• Co-manage the Cities program PPMO community of practice in partnership with the Project Management Associate
• Conduct data analysis, after-action reviews, and other project management services for project teams
• Independently design, plan, and implement data collection, storage, analysis, and visualizations for impact evaluation of project teams

Staff Management and Training (10%): -

• Supervise program management interns and provide performance management guidance
• Independently Lead onboarding sessions on programmatic tools and reporting processes for all staff network-wide

What will you need:

• Education: You have completed a Bachelor's degree in a relevant field
• Experience: You have a minimum of 5 years of experience
• Proficiency in Python and/or R, with knowledge of high-performance languages like C/C++, Scala, or Julia considered a plus
• Experience designing and launching new data analysis projects and products from scratch
• Experience using ASANA, Power BI, GetHub and other data tools
• Demonstrated ability to effectively communicate technical concepts to non-technical audiences
• Strong organizational skills
• Experience managing multiple projects simultaneously
• Experience collaborating with diverse teams across functions and countries
• Familiarity with database types and automated data pipeline development
• Demonstrated ability to translate strategic concepts into actionable plans
• Fluent in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint for data analysis and presentations
• Languages: Fluency in English is required
• Requirements: Existing work authorization is required where this position is based. WRI is unable to authorize visa work authorization

Potential Salary: Salary is commensurate with experience and other compensable factors.

How to Apply: Please submit a resume with a required cover letter. We are unable to consider your application without a cover letter.

You must apply through the WRI Careers portal to be considered.

What we offer:

• A competitive salary
• Access to the WRI global network with the opportunity to exchange with and learn from passionate colleagues working at the cutting edge of their fields across Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America and the US
• The chance to have an impact and to develop your career within a mission driven organization with access to varied learning and training opportunities.
• A workplace that strives to put diversity and inclusion at the heart of our work
• The opportunity to join and get involved in different working groups and affinity groups to shape the future of WRI
• Commitment to hybrid working model with flexible working hours
• Generous leave days that increase with tenure

About Us:

Founded in 1982, World Resources Institute(WRI) is an independent, nonprofit global research organization that turns big ideas into action at the nexus of environment, economic opportunity, and human well-being. We are working to address seven critical challenges that the world must overcome this decade to secure a sustainable future for people and the planet: climate change, energy, food, forests, water, sustainable cities, and the ocean. WRI has a global staff of over 1,800 people with work spanning 60 countries. We have offices in Africa, Brazil, China, Europe, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Colombia and the United States, as well as a growing presence in other countries and regions.

The foundation of our work is delivering high-quality research, data, maps, and analysis to solve the world’s greatest environment and international development challenges and improve people’s lives. We work with leaders in government, business, and civil society to drive ambitious action and create change on the ground. Equally important, we bring together partners to develop breakthrough ideas and scale-up solutions for far-reaching, enduring impact.

Our mission and values:

WRI’s mission is to move human society to live in ways that protect Earth’s environment and its capacity to provide for the needs and aspirations of current and future generations.

Our values are shared ideals that bind us together: Integrity, Innovation, Urgency, Independence and Respect.

Our culture:

WRI is committed to advancing gender and social equity for human well-being in our mission and applies this principle to our organizational and programmatic practices. We are committed to providing equal opportunities in employment; we embrace all diversity and encourage women, the LGBTQ+ community, persons with disabilities, Afro-descendants, and Indigenous people to apply. Recognizing our strong commitment to gender equality, WRI has also been awarded EDGE certification.

Our team in Human Resources carefully reviews all applications.